1. Field of the Invention
The present application pertains to an adsorbent package adapted for use in air conditioning accumulators and receiver dryers of the type having a refrigerant fluid flow line disposed therein that is connected to a filter or bleed nipple.
2. Background of the Invention
Adsorbent packages are typically provided in automotive accumulators and receivers to dehydrate air and refrigerants. Commonly, liquid accumulators for air conditioning systems, such as automotive air conditioning systems, include a sealed or closed canister which provides temporary storage for the refrigerant and a compressor lubricating oil, and also provide for dehydration of the refrigerant. Typically, the liquid accumulator has a permanently sealed casing that includes a baffle which separates the liquid from the gas component, a sump in the container bottom for the accumulation of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil, and a generally U-shaped pick up tube or suction tube with a bight portion which has a filtered bleed opening facing the sump. The tube also has two legs that extend upwardly toward the baffle at the top in generally, but not necessarily, parallel relationship, one end of which is open to receive an inflow of vaporized refrigerant for delivery to the suction side of the compressor by downward flow past the bottom pick up opening.
One or more desiccant packages are normally carried on or mounted on this U-shaped tube with portions extending from the filtered pick up opening upwardly along the generally parallel leg portions of the tube extending from the bight portion. The desiccant package is inserted and sealed within the accumulator prior to its permanent assembly. Accumulators of this general kind are shown in the U.S. Pat, Nos. of Livesay, 4,291,548 of Sep. 29, 1981, and Kisch 4,496,378 of Jan. 29, 1985. In some cases, the adsorbent package is mounted directly to the filter.
In many current accumulator structures, the filter is provided as part of a plastic snap on assembly wherein a mounting ring or clasp grasps the fluid flow tube to provide a mount for the filter. Due to excessive vibration or filling of the desiccant container with fluid during use, the desiccant container can slump or sag into the accumulator sump area, thereby interfering with the uptake of liquid refrigerant and lubricating oil into the bleed nipple. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide an adsorbent package that interferes less with fluid flow through the accumulator and particularly fluid flow through the sump area of the accumulator into the filtered pick up opening.